-
Rich,
Excellent points across the board!I would also add that booksellers should complete their Google profile (go to http://www.google.com/local/add) for their business and check hours, address, and phone information there. Add the website, blog or Facebook URL. Respond to any reviews that might be there — and then check back regularly to see what people are posting there. This is what will show up if someone tries to find your store using Google Maps.
-
You have some pretty good stuff that I have actually never thought of and I help local businesses with their marketing. The problem with most small businesses is that the owners are so busy putting out the everyday fires that they never really have a chance to step back and really work on their business.
-
Marie, you’re on the money. I think sometimes we have to make ourselves step back and reconsider if decisions made some time ago (signage, store layout, online outreach, etc.) are still valid and useful. It’s hard to remember, though. Too much smoke from those fires…
Ann, yes, Google profiles are important, and I had no idea you could set up a personal profile,as well as a business profile. Must add that to my to-do list.
-
A question from the Skylighters: Who’s to say that people won’t just loiter in your store, find cool books that they like, and order them cheaply from Amazon from RIGHT INSIDE YOUR WALLS? I realize that Karma-wise this wouldn’t be so hot for them, but there’s not really any way to prevent it from happening. We’ve got several nay-sayers and a few who are intrigued by your idea…
-
Hi Emily (& the Skylighters),
Obviously, there’s no way to guarantee that people won’t do that. It’s bad karma, sure; but, also it’s a chance to educate people on the many other reasons it’s to their advantage to shop local — maybe through signage, not necessarily looking over people’s shoulders and monitoring what they’re doing on their phones;-). The main thing is: paranoia is a bad business plan. I suspect your naysayers have a few ideas of specific reasons people would shop at AMZN over you, so perhaps the business needs to address those reasons and give people fewer incentives to do anything other than shop right there and then. Those naysayers may be about to spark the most important conversation you’ll have about your store this year…
The thing about providing an open wireless point is not that casual passers-by will come in and be so grateful they’ll buy a whole basketful of books there and then. It’s more that people file your store away in their mind as a place they could surf the web/check email/etc. if they needed to, a place to potentially “work from home,” somewhere they can still follow the big game while taking the kids shopping, or (in time) a place whose open wireless access may have saved their ass a time or two when they really needed to respond to an email or tweak a presentation. Over time that establishes your store as a place people want to spend time in. The more often they’re in your store the higher the potential they’ll become your customers, become loyal, etc. Like any other kind of goodwill, that’s valuable, and provides returns to the business over time. And, in terms of how you frame the wireless (be it open or closed, labeled or un-) it can turn potential badwill into goodwill. It might even be good for you in the long-term if they make an AMZN purchase wirelessly one time and then feel guilty about it after they experience your great service a few times.
Hope y’all have a great holiday season whatever you decide to do with your wireless.
-
Comments are now closed.
5 comments